A Set of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements

Immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions of Ukraine and its strict implementation commencing at 00 h. 00 min. (Kiev), on February 15, 2015.

Withdrawal of all heavy weapons by both sides to equal distances in order to create a security zone with a width of at least 50 km between them for artillery systems with a calibre of 100 mm and more, and a security zone with a width of 70 km for MLRS and with a width of 140 km for MLRS “Tornado-S” “Uragan,” “Smerch” and tactical missile systems “Tochka” (“Tochka-U”):

– for the Ukrainian troops: from the actual line of contact;

– for the armed formations of certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions of Ukraine: from the line of contact in accordance with the Minsk Memorandum of September 19, 2014.

The withdrawal of heavy weapons set out above shall begin no later than the second day after the cease-fire and end within 14 days.

This process will be assisted by the OSCE, with the support of the Trilateral Contact Group.

On the part of the OSCE, to ensure effective monitoring and verification of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the first day of the withdrawal, with the use of all necessary means, including satellites, drones, radar systems and so forth.

On the first day following the withdrawal to begin a dialogue with respect to the modalities of the local elections in accordance with Ukrainian legislation and the Law of Ukraine “On the temporary order of local government in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions,” as well as with respect to the future operation of these areas on the basis of the Law.

Immediately, and not later than 30 days from the date of signing of this document, to adopt a resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with the specification of the territory covered by the special regime provided for in the Law of Ukraine “On the temporary order of local government in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions”, [such territory] to be based on the line set out in the Minsk Memorandum of September 19, 2014

Provide pardons and amnesties by means of enacting a law prohibiting the prosecution and punishment of persons in connection with the events that took place in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions of Ukraine.

Facilitate the release and exchange of all hostages and illegally detained persons, based on the principle of “all for all”. This process must be completed no later than the fifth day following the withdrawal.

Provide secure access, delivery, storage and distribution of humanitarian assistance to those in need on the basis of an international mechanism.

Determination of the modalities of the full restoration of the socio-economic relations, including social transfers, such as pensions and other payments (receipts and income, timely payment of all utility bills, renewal of taxation within the legal framework of Ukraine).

To this end, Ukraine shall re-establish control over the segment of its banking system in the areas affected by conflict, and it is possible that an international mechanism to facilitate such transfers will be created.

Restoration of full control by the government of Ukraine over the state border throughout the conflict zone, which shall begin on the first day following the local elections and be completed following a comprehensive political settlement ([to wit:] [1] local elections in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions on the basis of the Law of Ukraine and [2] a constitutional reform) by the end of 2015, subject to the fulfilment of Paragraph 11—in consultation and by agreement with the representatives of certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group.

Withdrawal of all foreign armed units, military equipment, as well as mercenaries from the territory of Ukraine under the supervision of the OSCE. The disarmament of all illegal groups.

Passing of a constitutional reform in Ukraine with the entry into force by the end of 2015 of a new constitution, which shall incorporate decentralization as a key element (taking into account the characteristics of certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions, to be agreed upon with the representatives of these areas), as well as, before the end of 2015, adoption of permanent legislation with respect to the special status of certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions in accordance with the measures specified in Note [1].

On the basis of the Law of Ukraine “On the temporary order of local government in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions”, all questions regarding local elections shall be discussed and agreed upon with the representatives of these areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group. Elections shall be held in compliance with the relevant standards of the OSCE and shall be monitored by the OSCE ODIHR.

To intensify the activities of the Trilateral Contact Group, including through the establishment of working groups to implement the relevant aspects of the Minsk Agreements. [These working groups] shall reflect the composition of the Trilateral Contact Group.

Note 1:

Such measures in accordance with the Law “On the special order of local government in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions” shall include the following:

exemption from punishment, harassment and discrimination of individuals associated with the events that took place in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions;

the right to linguistic self-determination;

participation of local governments in the appointment of the heads of prosecutorial bodies and the courts in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions;

ability for the central executive authorities to enter into agreements regarding economic, social and cultural development of certain regions of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions with the relevant local authorities;

the State shall support the socio-economic development of individual regions of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions;

facilitation by the central government of cross-border cooperation between certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions and the regions of the Russian Federation;

establishment of units of People’s Militia by order of local councils with the goal of maintaining public order in certain areas of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions;

the powers of local council deputies and officers elected in early elections, to be set by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in accordance with this law, may not be terminated.

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57 thoughts on “Minsk Agreement 2.0 – February 12, 2015”

Thank you. Paragraph 2, as put out in the media, led me to sum up the ‘agreement’ as follows:

“The attempt to reach agreement by the Normandy Four in Minsk appears to have ended in failure for the peoples of Ukraine and Novorossia. With a ceasefire mooted for Sunday/Monday, expect all hell to break loose. Motorola’s Sparta battalion is already in Debaltsevo, ready to tighten the noose on a pocket of 7-8,000 Ukrops Poroshenko fails to acknowledge as being in any way surrounded.”

“Ukrainian reserves are massed outside of the Debaltsevo pocket and they will be thrown into the fray. Ukrainian heavy artillery rings the cities and many civilians will die needlessly before midnight on Sunday.

“Moreover, while the four unaffected leaders may agree to the Novorossians falling back to their September positions, Zackarchenko and Plotnitsky will be extremely hard-pressed to agree to this, if they’re willing to entertain such a ludicrous notion. How can a sustainable and peaceful settlement of any substance be reached when Poroshenko fails to recognise front-line realities?

“The politicians have walked away. The hawks will, unfortunately, now take over.”

As for the remaining clauses, too much relies upon Mr. Poroshehko’s integrity and history tells us he has none at all.

I think you maybe mis reading the context of 2 para 3 “…It is ambiguous …..from the line of contact in accordance with the Minsk Memorandum of September 19, 2014. In “accordance” I read is not the same “as at or actual” In other words ..as was agreed in Minsk 1 the militia would withdraw from whatever the front line was at the time of the ceasefire which was then the “actual line of contact” ..from which the Ukraine forces have to withdraw under Minsk 2 It is also clear that the militia will be able to exists within the “zone” I found you btw on twitter and have tweeted a link to your translation Thanks

Thank you, Mike Golby, for this encouraging synopsis. My questions are about your statement: “Zackarchenko and Plotnitsky will be extremely hard-pressed to agree to this,” I hope so. But it is my understanding, from the Novorossia Today website, that Zackarchenko and Plotnitsky have already gone to Minsk and were ready to sign any agreement that was reached. Two questions arise: Have they signed it? And will it have any meaning, given that the UAF is likely to violate the ceasefire?

Yes the devil is in the detail so it is important to understand this is a halt to the fighting while the parties attempt to implement We are not on the ground nor a we privy to the actual logistics and challenges the NAF forces face …as we sit in the comfort of our homes shouting from the sidelines. Whatever out come some may believe is attainable in the short term with out doubt what isn’t needed is an ongoing guerrilla war if indeed the militia forces indeed had the capacity to march on Kiev …after all the Soviets had until the 50s the deal with a Fascist insurgent army….Those fanatics exist in Ukraine today …but the conditions are not the same as in the early 50s…These people are far more emboldened. Don’t forget the militia units are also not well equipped relying on captured kit I wrote this (see link) in January on this very subject as one the one hand the Ultra leftists were shouting treachery while on the other the Strelkov Tsarists and openly imperialist were shouting the same. When the young Soviet Union sort peace with Germany in 1917 one Trotsky also refused to sign an armistice against Lenin’s wishes the inevitable peace at Brest Litovsk….thus costing the Union more territory and weker position to fight the Civil War https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152706709978473&set=pb.634803472.-2207520000.1423746194.&type=3&theater

True. With “save the Kiev ass” I did not mean NAF marching on Kiev but it the deal was signed right before a major military defeat (as the one September) and it does give them time to regroup. Furthermoe, it is not clear how Debaltsevo cauldron will be resolved….

Hello, thank you for the article. Can you please clarify? What you have posted above under “A Set of Measures for the Performance of Minsk Agreements” reads like the text of the SUGGESTED format for the Minsk agreement, as proposed by the Trilateral Contact Group (OSCE, Ukraine, and Russian representativies and DPR LPR envoys Pushilin and Daneygo) on February 11, prior to the final talks of the Normandy Four. Is that what this indeed is? Or is this the final Minsk agreement as signed February 12 by the Normandy Four and the DPR/LPR Prime Ministers Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky?

This is the final Minsk Agreement (February 12, 2015) as proposed by the Normandy Four and executed by Zakharchenko, Plotnitskiy, Kuchma (Ukraine), Zurabov (Russia), and Taglivini (OSCE) on February 12, 2014. It is not the suggested format of the agreement, but, instead, the final version thereof.

Thank you, Gleb, for clarifying this. To say I am alarmed about the agreement would be putting it mildly. However, as daviemacdonald commented above, we do not know the NAF logistics on the ground, and while it seemed they were marching forward with unimpeded victory, there were scattered reports that they were fighting extremely hard in the Debaltsevo cauldron, and that the UAF was putting up a strong defense, and may have even surrounded a few of the NAF troops. I console myself that there will be a reprieve for civilians, at least partially for a while. I see this not as a military defeat, of course, but as a political defeat. Those who are working at the political level, including pro-Novorossiya news and commentary outlets, have not been able to sway public opinion against the onslaught of Western propaganda. Public opinion would need to embrace the idea of Novorossiya’s independence, in such a ways that it does not threaten the powers that be in Europe. This is a tall order, but I think it can be done, with enough time and effort. For me, that’s still the goal. Again, many thanks.

Hello, thank you for the article. I apologize if this comment appears twice, due to having been accidentally logged in as another user.

Can you please clarify? What you have posted above under “A Set of Measures for the Performance of Minsk Agreements” reads like the text of the SUGGESTED format for the Minsk agreement, as proposed by the Trilateral Contact Group (OSCE, Ukraine, and Russian representativies and DPR LPR envoys Pushilin and Daneygo) on February 11, prior to the final talks of the Normandy Four. Is that what this indeed is? Or is this the final Minsk agreement as signed February 12 by the Normandy Four and the DPR/LPR Prime Ministers Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky?

Also, to Niku, who posted the Interfax link to the Normandy Four Declaration. That link seems to show only a cover document. The actual agreement it refers to, in the phrase “Package of Measures on the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements”, is not shown. Is this Normandy Four “Package of Measures” identical to the “Set of Measures” presented in the Slavyangrad article above?

I am extremely disheartened to have watched this video in which Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky discuss the Minsk Agreement, calling it a “victory” and a great achievement for the DPR/LPR. According to the subtiitles, they are apparently very impressed by and deeply trust the “great foreign leaders” of France, Germany and Russia, who they believe will guarantee a change in Ukraine. I had doubted those who expressed distrust for Zakharchenko. Indeed, I had been completely fooled by his talk of independence for the whole Donetsk Oblast. Well, it was I who was wrong. Zakharchenko has utterly betrayed his former resolve, and has defied eveything he pretended to stand for. I am tired of looking for underlying “second meanings” to the statements of these leaders. I see little hope for recovery of Zakharchenko’s image in my mind. The video is at:

The Empire of Chaos engineered the Maidan coup and everything has gone wrong for the Empire ever since, because Putin said NO to any further aggression by NATO.

Psychopaths are ruling “The West” and, in my personal experience, they will never admit to being wrong (I have a Court case against some local examples on 4th March) so my opinion is to expect nuclear WW3.

when negotiations were taken place, it caught my atention, that novorossia was not included among the liders, i dont know if zajarchenko sign anything, how cud’ he if never was allowed in any negotiation !!
i doubt, washington will stop feeding the fire, but i hope black market arms supply the best to novorosia…!!
besides, too much credits to kiev

I do not believe the “promises” for a substantial autonomy in the Minsk agreement are sincere, not from the Kiev junta nor from the Empire.
It goes against the nazi ideology of the Kiev junta to give the NovoRussians substantial autonomy; their goal is to assimilate them.
For the Empire, they do not want another “divided” Bosnia, the substantial autonomy Republic of Srpska has is a pain the ass for the Empire; the Atlantic Empire has difficulty integrating Bosnia in their security structures. It makes it easier for the Empire to integrate Ukraine in their security structures if the NovoRussians are assimilated.
The Germans try to balance it all without sacrificing their own security or their goal of an economic and financial German 4th Reich. The Americans on the other hand want to play it hardball and integrate (occupy) by force whole of Europe in their security structures and re-assert their rule over Europe. The Germans and Americans are in a constrained and abusive symbiotic relationship. Washington will make sure it stays like that.